Driving Laws You Didn’t Know You Were Breaking

Everyone works hard to swot up before their driving test, but how many of us actively keep up to date with rules of the road? Our recent Driving Genius quiz revealed many drivers are a bit rusty when it comes to the rules of the road, confused about driving protocol, new laws, penalties, and roadside etiquette. To help separate fact from fiction, we’ve tackled some of the main motoring knowledge gaps as revealed in the quiz results.

So what did our Driving Genius quiz uncover?

We've all experienced road rage, whether it's an inconsiderate driver or one that doesn't know where the indicators are. But did you know it's an offence to swear at other drivers? You're not alone, 56% of us didn't know that if you swear at another driver, you could be fined up to 75% of your weekly income. A hefty price to pay for a little outburst.

A trip to your local fast food restaurant is a common journey for us Brits, but you could be breaking the law. We found that 48% didn't know that it is illegal to pay for your food using your smartphone at a drive-thru. Next time you use a drive-thru make sure you use contactless on your card, not your mobile phone.

Red, Amber, Green? Or is it Green, Red, Amber. No, it's Yellow, Green, Red. Well, 26% of our quiz-takers struggled to correctly identify a UK traffic light sequence too. For the record, it's Red, Amber, Green. It goes Amber again just before Green in most cases, so we're not blaming those respondents for getting them a little mixed up.

It's widely known that using a mobile phone whilst driving is illegal, but we found that 25% couldn't identify the correct penalty for using a handheld mobile phone. Again for clarity, you'll get an automatic fixed penalty notice, three penalty points and a fine. In some cases, your case may go to court where you could face disqualification and additional fines.

13% believed it was legal to use a hand-held phone when supervising a learner driver. Staying on the mobile phone theme. This might not come as a complete surprise, but when supervising a learner it's even more important to focus on the road. Our quiz highlighted that many drivers recognised the inherent risks of using a mobile phone when supervising learners, showing that safety isn't something you forget or disregard once you pass your own driving test.

Finally, we found that 54% of respondents were unsure of what to do if they were to break down on the side of the motorway with an animal in the car. We can't imagine many drivers have found themselves in this situation. In actual fact, of all the questions we asked this was the trickiest. Many drivers know that when you break down on the motorway it is safer to exit the vehicle and await rescue. For this reason, you might assume you should do the same with a beloved pet, but it's actually safer to leave the animal inside the car. Then take the animal onto a busy motorway. So if you've ever found yourself in this position you now know what to do.

Our Driving Genius quiz highlighted some really interesting stats. We turned those insights into a series of animations and an infographic. Check them out below!

Introducing our Driving Genius

Over 1,400 people took part in our quiz, leaving us with a newly crowned Driving Genius - Chris Diamond. Chris was one of only 2% of entrants to answer all the questions correctly, so who better to help us create a series of short information animations, looking at re-educating motorists. Take a look below or head to our YouTube channel to take a look at the other 2 videos.

Get involved!

Have you taken the quiz and want to share your results? Or do you know of other obscure laws that you want to share with us on. If so, get in touch on Facebook or Twitter! 

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